This 2020 witnessed several important changes in the film industry and the 2021 Oscar ceremony is not exempt from this. A few months ago, the Academy announced some changes regarding the conditions that films must meet to qualify for the 93rd Academy Awards.
On the one hand, the ceremony that is usually held at the end of February, will take place in April. On the other hand, the deadline by which a film must be released in order to be eligible has been postponed: from December 31st to February 28th. This is because many movie theaters in Latin America were closed for several months due to the pandemic and although some markets such as Mexico, Brazil, Bolivia and Colombia are gradually being reactivated, more time is needed for releases.
Also as part of the Academy Aperture 2025 plan, substantial changes were made to the rules in order to achieve a more equitable representation in both the creation of a feature film and the product itself to reflect the diversity present in the audience - Asians, Hispanics, Latinos, Blacks, Indigenous, women, ethnic or racial groups, LGTBQ community, people with physical disabilities, among others. These changes will not affect the 2021 awards ceremony as they will come into force in 2022.
This will consolidate what the official website of the Academy states: "to carry out a new phase where efforts are made in relation to equity and inclusion to achieve progress on these issues in the entertainment industry and increase representation within its members and the greater film community.”
A great initiative.